Retractable ball pen



Dec. 25, 1956 B. D. SMITH RETRACTABLE BALL PEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 4, 1953 III Dec., 25, 1956 B. D. SMITH 27'5,228

RETIRACTABLE BALL PEN Filed Nov. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lf-Tign INVENTOR. BLANCHRO 0. 9M/TH Arrow/ver@ United States Pai/xmA 2,775,228 RETRACTABLE BALL PEN Blanchard Smith, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Scripte,

i Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application November 4, 1953, Serial No. 390,185 9 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

This invention relates to ball point writing instruments, and in particular to writing instruments of this sort in which a ball point and reservoir unit is arranged for selec- )tive retraction within the instrument or pen barrel so that the ball point may` be alternatively projected from the barreltforwriting or retracted therein when not in use. s

According to the present invention, theball point and reservoir unit is arranged for projection and retraction the ball `point and reservoir unit whenever this unit is moved forwardly to projected position, and is rocked oppositelyto release the ball point and reservoir unit for retraction whenever the plunger member is depressed with this unitrin projected position, j l

This arrangement and other features of the present invention` are described in detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: s

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a retractable ball pen embodying the present invention, and in which the ball point and reservoir unit is shown in retracted position;

Fig.` 2 is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 1, but showing the plunger member and related `elements depressed for projecting the ball point `and reservoir unit;`

Fig. `3 is a vertical section corresponding to Figpl but showing the plunger member and related elements followingtrecovery after? projection of the ball point and reser` voir unit;` i s Fig. 4 isan enlarged fragmentary detail `ofthe top portion of the` ball pen shown in Fig. `l, with theplunger member` and pen barrel sectioned at right angles toFig. 11,

t and with the remaining operating elements shown in full elevation; t

Figff is a sectional` detail taken line 6-s-6 in Fig. 4;` s

Fig. 7. is a sectional detail taken lineT-f'in Fig. 4`; s

fFig. "9 is a sectional detail` taken line inFig. 4.

substantially atftlie` substantially at the substantially at the drawings comprises` fa, ballfpointand reservoir unit as indis-` cated generally `by the reference numeral 10 that isrre# tractably housedfwithin a two-part barrel formed bya` unit 10,"th`is" unit 10 consisting of a `ball point element 16 s fitted at thelforwardend ofa tubular ink reservoir` 18 that is `yieldably biased rearwardly in the forwardbarrel portion 12, as byI a spriiigZOfsoas to maintain the ball point I elementl lxretracted"` withinthe forward barrelportion 12 substantially at the f s e The embodiment of the present invention shown in the s rice as shown in Fig. 1, except when the unit 10 is latched at projected position.

The forward barrel portion 12 is reduced in diameter adjacent its rear end and is externally threaded at this reduced rear end portion to engage a threaded sleeve 22 fitted within the forward end of the rear barrel portion 14 so as to provide for assembly of the two-part barrel as a unit. The rear barrel portion 14 is further formed with an inwardly extending annular llange 24 at its rear end.

The previously mentioned operating plunger member, which is indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 26, is slidably disposed at this rear barrel flange 24, the plunger member 26 being shouldered, as at 28, to engage the ange 24ras an abutment limiting outward movement of the plunger member 26 with respect to the barrel. In order to guide the sliding movement of the plunger member 26 when it is depressed within the barrel, the forward plunger portion beyond its shoulder at 28 is formed with external longitudinalgrooves 30 at opposite sides, that are shaped to ride leg portions 32 extending rearwardly in the barrel portion 14 from a transverse plate portion 34 of a guide bracket 36 fixed in place intermediate the length of the rear barrel portion 14. This guide bracket 36 is also apertured suitably to allow the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 18 to extend therethrough with a latching sleeve 38 disposed in covering relation, and to support a rocking latching lever 40.

The rear end portion of the inl: reservoir 18 and the latching sleeve 3S thereon are slidably received within the plunger member 26, which is recessed to provide a` forwardly opening central bore 42 that terminates at a` shoulder 44 beyond which a recessed bore 46 of smaller diameter continues to contain a plunger spring 48 in opposed relation to an angled rear end portion 50 of an actuating or positioning lever 52 that is rockably interl nested with the latching sleeve 38 in the plunger member 26 and extends forwardly past a cam lip 54 and within a longitudinal slot 56 formed in the plunger member 26 below the cam lip 54 and forwardly of its shoulder 28, this longitudinal slot 56 extending for only a portion of the depth of the central plunger bore 42.

snbstantially at the The above noted latching sleeve 38 is positioned on the ink reservoir 18 by means of a transverse flange 58 formed i from the sleeve wall to abut the rear end of the reservoir 18. t This transverse ange 58 is spaced forwardly of but adjacent the rear end of the latching sleevei38, and the latching sleeve 38 is longitudinally slotted as at 60 from its rear end adjacent the transverse flange 58. The longitudinal slot 69 extending from the rear of latching sleeve 38 terminates at latching sleeve guide lips 62, which are flared outwardly adjacent their forward edges, as at 62', for a purpose that will appear presently.

Beyond the guide lips `62, a second comparable longitudinal slot 64 continues forwardly in the latching sleeve 38 to terminate at forward notch lips 66 forming a rearwardly facing latching notch at the rear edges 66 thereof. Opposite the notchlips 66, the forward end of the latching sleeve 38 is notched at 68 in a width corresponding to that of the longitudinal slots 60 and 64 and in a length extending beyond the notch lips 66, so as to in- -crease the lateral llexibility of the latching sleeve 38 at j its forward end for easy insertion of the ink reservoir 18 therein.

When the ball point and reservoir unit 1() is in retracted position as shown in Fig. l, the rear end of the latching sleeve 38 is bottomed in the central plunger bore 42 at the terminal shoulder 44 thereof, the opposed action of the annular barrel flange 24 containing the plunger member 26 within the rear barrel portion 1 45. j and of the bias spring V20 yieldably urging the unit 10 l rearwardly from the front barrel portion 12 resulting in" Patented Dec. 25, 1956 ths..bottomed.disposition of thelatchingsleeve. 38. A,Ac-

cordingly, the plunger member 26 when depressed will always act directly lon the latching sleeve 38 to cause project-iontsfoft. the'. unit.` t10` when retracted:

The previously noted plunger spring 48,-which. extends i fromthe'- smaller plunger-bore 46 through thetrear end portionf of vlatching-.sleeve` 38 Yto bearY against -therear angled portion 50 Cof the .position-ing leverl 52 is made weakerthan the bias spring :20 so as not` to interferewith retraction kof the unit-10, and is providedv for two purposes. First, the plunger,spring48tservesto bias the plunger member 26k rearwardly `with respect to the-latching sleeve 38 for recovery to normal position following a depression-- thereof-tov project'andllatch-the unit 10 at projected. position; and-secondly, th-e plunger-spring 48 acts `against the rear face' ofangled` portion 50 -to-bias the forward end of thepositioning lever 52 outwardly Vwith respect to the latching sleevef38 for operation to effect latching and unlatch-ing ofthe unit 10.

The rockable inte'rnesting of the positioning lever H52 with-the-latching sleeve l38 is arranged by formingthe rear lever portionl 50 circularly in plan to lit and be containedrockably -within the rear portion of the latching sleeve-38 above the transverse flange 58 with the remainder ofthe lever 52 disposed through the longitudinal latching sleeve slot 60 to'extend forwardly in the plunger member26 past the cam lip 54 and within the longitudinal-plunger slot..56, -as mentioned above.` The transverse flange 58 of the latching sleeve-38 is spaced from the rearl end-thereof so that whenthe latching sleeve 38 is bottomed in the-central plunger bore 42 this ilange 58 is disposed rearwardly of the plunger cam lip 54 at a distance corresponding substantially to the extent of sliding movementof the unit 10, and of the latching sleeve `38 thereon, between retracted and projected positions (compare Figs. l and 3).

Consequently, `when the unit is'in retractedposition,

than the extent by which downward movement of the plunger member 26 is allowed in excess of the distance between retracted and projected positions of the unit10, as noted further below, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2;'although when the vunit 10 is latched inprojected position and the plunger member'26 has recovered under the bias of the plunger spring 48, as seen in Fig.` 3, the positioning lever 52 is disposedwithin `the longitudinal .plunger slot 56. free of restraint by the cam lip 54 so that it is rocked out- 455 48 1n preparation for 'unlatching thegprojected umt 10 1 wardly from the latching sleeve 38 by the plunger spring in .order toy release the unit 10'for returnto retracted position underthe force of the biasspring 20,'"when desired.

"'Latching loftheunit 10 in projected position .is accomplished by means of` thepreviously mentioned latching lever .40 which is rockably' supported in the rear barrel portion 14 adjacent the latchingisleeveL 38` by the plate portion 34 of guide bracket 36. to engagethe rearwardly facing edges 66. of the latching sleeve notch lips 6,6 when the unit 10 and .latching sleeve38rare projected. The' plate portion 34` of .the guide bracket 36 is fixed transve'rsely in the rear barrel portion 14 at a position intermeforwardipqrtien 7,2 thats arranged-for abutting .relatiimr .with'the bottom` face of the guide bracket plate portion 34 .andthat tapersto. aI transversely .rounded forward .end .74

withthe unit -10 in` retractedpositionpthe.roundedf'forward end 74 extends-forwardly of the 4rear edges 66' of latching :sleeve notch.lips= 66 a distance equal to the-,distance between retracted and projected positions of the unit 10, and the rear-lateral lip -fis disposed below the outwardly ared forward edges 62 of the latching sleeve guide lips 62 at a spacing slightly in excess of this distance so as to provide overtravel clearance for allowing the latching lever forward end 74 to-move^easily in behind the rear notchlip edges 661for latching engagementtherewith upon projection oftheunit-I() and the latching sleeve `V38 thereon, the latching lever 40 having a suitably 'arranged prole, as shown, fordisposition on the-guide bracket plate portion 34 to rock between a latchingfposi-f tion and a free position with respect-tolatching sleeve-'38.

The operation of the above describedi retractable yball -vr penmechanism of the present" invention is as followsw Starting with the unit 10 in retracted' position as shown inl* Fig; l, depressionof the=plunger member 26 results'directly in moving the unit 10-forwardly toward projected J position by reasonv of the bottomed disposition of latchingy sleeve -38 in the central 4plunger bore 42. At the same v" time,the positioning lever 52 isfcarried forward withthe` latching sleeve-38 andl held -inwardly atiits forwardf end 1 against'- the latching sleeve guidelips 62 so as-to` be--in l position for endwise abutment-with.v the latching lever Y lateral lip 80.

WhenV this abutment is-established; the`plungerspring v48 yields to allow continuedforward movement of the latching sleeve-38 withv the unit-10, while-the-positioning lever 52 remains stationary in abutment'with the-latchf'" ing lever `lateral-lip 80 and maintains pressure thereon from theplunger spring'48. Forward-movement of the latching sleeve 38 Vand unit `10 continues-until the'out--- wardly flared forward ledges 62 of the latching sleeve guide lips 62 also reach abutting'relation with' the Alatching lever llateral lip 80, `as seeniny Fig. 2.

The guide lips- 62 are outwardly flared' atL 62 Lto faciliment.

from the positioning lever 52 and p1unger spring 48.

As .the .downward movement .of the.. .plunger .A member- 26 isv limited by the guide lipedges 62 at a distance.

slightly in excessof the distance vto projected position 0f the unit 10, 'the rear notch lip edges66 of latchlng sleeve 38-will now have been moved downwardly past the forward end"74 of latching lever 40 allowing lever 40 to rock to latching position by reason ofthe` pressure thereon, and the forward latching lever end 74 will. ac-Y cordingly-be disposed behind the rear notch ,li1`1-edge s1l 66 .for .latching engagement .therewith- .to hold. the .latching.v sleeve 38.and .unit 10 in projected positioxr,.uponr.

release of plunger. member V26, as seenin Fig."3 .l

The plunger member 26 is caused r'to recover its .orig-1 inal position, .uponrelease at this. time, by the plunger.. springfl; and, .as this .recovery takes place, the.pl1 .1ngex'.--Y spring-48 also.. holds `the positioninglever. 52 .forwardlv toward ,the transverse. latching.sleeveanges..and rocks. the forward end of. .lev`er,.52, outwardly within. the engi-, tdnl plunger 'slot'56 as it is released by the 'plunger `latching lever `contained in the bear on the rear `ver, and a latching lever rockably supported intermedicam lip 54. `This outward rocking of the positioning lever 52 under` the` pressure of plunger spring 48 results in moving` its forward end off of` the rear face of the afchinglever lateral lip 80 to extend yat the side thereof i or lateral abutment with the outwardly extending edge of latching lever lateral lip 80. i i

Accordingly, upon the next succeeding ydepression of `plunger member` 26, the plunger cam lip 54 will function to press or rock the positioning lever 52 inwardly in such lateral abutment and thereby cause rocking of the 40 to its free position so as to unlatch the latching sleeve 38 and allow it` to return with the unit 10 to retracted position under the force of bias spring 20, so that all of theyoperating `elements will again resume their original Fig. 1 disposition.

The present invention has been described above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this` description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: i i

1. `A retractable ball pen comprising a barrel, a ball point and reservoir unit` housed within said barrel for sliding movement between forward projected and rearward retracted positions with respect thereto and yieldably biased thereinrearwardly toward said retracted position, a latching sleeve disposed over the rear portion of the reservoir of said unit for sliding movement therewith and having a transverse flange abutting the rear end of said reservoir, said `transverse flange being spaced forward of `but adjacentthe rear end of said latching sleeve and the rear latching sleeve portion adjacent said transverse flange being longitudinally slotted, a plunger member slidably contained at the rear end of said barrel and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said plunger member having a forwardly opening central bore in which the rear end of said latching sleeve is `slidably received, said plunger member being longitudinally slotted from its forward end for a` portion of the length of said bore, a` positioning lever having an` angled rear portion rockably internested within said latchingsleeve at the rear portion thereof beyond said transverse flange, said positioning leverextending` forwardly through the longitudinal slot of `said latching sleeve and Within the longitudinal slot of said plunger member, yieldable means `central bore of said plunger membel; biasing said plungermember rearwardly and extending forwardly within said rearlatching" sleeve portion to angled portion of said positioning leate its length in said barrel adjacent said latching sleeve for rocking between a latching position and a free position with respect to said latching sleeve, said latching lever having a lateral lip thereon at its rearward end, the forward end of said positioning lever engaging said lateral lip endwise for rocking said latching lever to said latching position in engagement with said latching sleeve and engaging said lateral lip laterally for rocking said latching lever to said free position in disengagement with said latching sleeve, said endwise and lateral engagernents occurring upon successive depressions of said plunger member.

2. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said latching lever is rockably supported in said barrel by a guide bracket fixed within said barrel, said latching lever having a pair of spaced lateral lugs formed thereon in spaced relation to said lateral lip and at the extending ends of which lateral lugs said latching lever is rockably supported on said guide bracket.

3. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that said lateral lip is arranged `at `the rear end of said latching lever and said lateral `lugs are arranged intermediately of the length thereof,

and said lateral lip extends outwardly and said lateral lugs inwardly with respect to said latching sleeve.

4. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that a guide bracket is fixed within said barrel for rockably supporting said latching lever and for guiding the sliding movement of said ball point and reservoir unit together with the latching sleeve thereon and said plunger member, said guide bracket having a plate portion disposed transversely of said barrel atta position intermediate of the length of said latching sleeve and beyond the forward extent of said positioning lever, said plate portion being apertured for slidably aligning said latching sleeve and for supporting engagement with said latching lever, said guide bracket being further formed with leg portions extending rearwardly from said plate portion, ber being formed with external longitudinal grooves shaped to ride said leg portions.

5. A retractable ball penas defined in claim 4 and further characterized in that saidlatching lever is engaged intermediate its length `for rockable support by said guide bracket, :and said latching sleeve is formed with a rearwardly facing latching sleeve notch adjacent the forward end thereof, the forwardly extending end of said latching `lever being engageable at said latching position, with said latching sleeve notch only when said latching sleeve and unit are moved to projected position.

6. A retractable ball` pen comprising a barrel, a ball point and reservoir unit housed within said barrel for sliding movement between forward projected and rearward retracted positions with respectthereto and yieldably biased therein rearwardly toward said retracted positon, a plunger member slidably contained at the rear end of said barrel and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said plunger member having a forwardly opening central bore recessed therein and being longitudinally slotted from the forward end thereof for a portion of the depth of said central bore and terminating at an inwardly facing cam lip, .a latching `sleeve disposed over the rear end portion of the reservoirof said `unit and extending` slidably Within the central bore of said plunger member, said latching sleeve being formed with 4a transverse flange spaced adjacent the rear end thereof abutting the rear end of said unit reservoir, the rear end of said latching sleeve being bottomed in said central plunger bore by the yieldable bias on` said unit when retracted, said latching sleeve being further formed with a first longitudinal slot extendingfromA the rear end thereof past said transverse flange and guide lips arranged intermediate the length of said latching sleeve and terminating said first slot, said latching sleeve having a second longitudinal slot separated from said first slot by said guide lips and continuing forwardly from said guide lips, notch lips arranged at the forward end of said latching sleeve and terminating said second slot, a positioning lever having an angled rear portion rockably contained within said latching sleeve rearwardly of said transverse fiange with the remaining portion of said positioning lever extending forwardly through the first longitudinal slot of said latching sleeve past said plunger cam lip and within said plunger longitudinal slot, a spring contained within said central plunger bore and extending forwardly in said latching sleeve against the rear angled portion of said positioning lever, said spring exerting a weaker bias than the yieldable rearward bias on said unit, and a latching lever rockably supported in said barrel for rocking of the forward end thereof between a latching position in abutment with the rear edges of said latching sleeve notch lips and a position free thereof, the rear end of said latching lever having a lateral lip thereon disposed for limiting abutment with the forward edges of said latching sleeve notch lips and for alternative engagement endwise or laterally by the forward end of said positioning lever to effect rocking of said latching and said plunger mem-.

leverfrorn one of the latching and free positions thereof to the other upon successive depressions of said plunger member, the forward end of said latching lever extending forwardly of the rear edges of said latching sleeve notch lips in la length equal to the distance between retracted and projected positions of said ball point and reservoir unit and said latching sleeve thereon, the lateral lip at the rear end of said latching lever being disposed below the forward edges of said latching sleeve guide lips at a spacing slightly in excess of said distance, the forward end of Said positioning lever extending forwardly of the forward edges of said latching sleeve guide lips in a length greater than the extent by which said lateral lip spacing exceeds said distance but less than the spacing of said transverse ilange from the rear end of said latching sleeve, and said transverse ange being spaced on said latching sleeve so that when said sleeve is bottomed in said central plunger bore said flange is disposed rearwardly of said plunger cam lip at a spacing substantially equal to said distance.

7. A retractable ball pen comprising a barrel, a ball point and reservoir unit housed within said barrel for sliding movement between forward projected and rearward retracted positions with respect thereto and yieldably biased therein rearwardly toward said retracted position, a latching sleeve disposed over the rear end of the reservoir portion of said unit and having a rearwardly facing latching notch therein, a latching lever rockably supported in said barrel for rocking between a latching position and a free position with respect to said latching sleeve, said latching lever extending forwardly in said barrel and engageable at said latching position with said latching sleeve notch when said latching sleeve and unit are moved toy projected position, a plunger member slidably contained at the rear end of said barrel and depressible within said barrel for operating directly to project said latching sleeve and unit to said latching position, yieldable means arranged within said plunger member and biasing said plunger member rearwardly, and a positioning lever rockably actuated by depression of said plunger member for engaging and rocking said latching lever to said latching position in engagement with said latching sleeve notch upon projection of said latching sleeve and unit by depression of said plunger member and for engaging and rocking said latching lever to said free position upon a subsequent depression of said plunger member.

8. A retractable ball pen comprising a barrel, a ball point and reservoir unit housed within said barrel for 0 o sliding movement between forward'projected and rearward retracted positions with respect thereto and yieldably biased therein rearwardly ytoward said retracted position, a latching sleeve disposed over the rear end of the reservoir portion of said unit for sliding movement therewith, a plunger member slidably contained at the rear end of said barrel, said plunger member having a forwardly opening central bore in which the rear end of said latching sleeve is slidably received, yieldable means arranged Within said central bore and biasing said plunger member rearwardly, a guide bracket fixed in said barrel adjacent the rear end thereof for aligning the sliding movementof said latching sleeve and unit and of said plunger memberwithin said barrel, a latching lever roclcably supported intermediate its length by said guide bracket in said barrel Vfor rocking between a latching position and a freev position with respect to said latching sleeve, said latching sleeve being formed with a rearwardly facing latching sleeve notch adjacent the forward end thereof, the forwardly extending end of said latching lever being engageable at said latching position with said latching sleeve notch when said latching sleeve and unit are moved to projected position, said latching lever having a lateral lip thereon at its rearward end, a positioning lever engaging said lateral lip endwise for rocking said latching lever to said latching position in engagement with said latching sleeve notch, and engaging said lateral lip laterally for rocking said latching lever to .said free position in ydisengagement with said latching sleeve notch, said endwise and lateral engagements occurring upon successive depressions of said plunger member.

9. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim 8 and lfurther characterized in that said guide bracket has a plate portion Vdisposed transversely of said barrel at a positionintermediate they length of said latching sleeve and beyond the forward extent of said positioning lever, said plate portion being apertured for slidably aligning said latching sleeve and for supporting engagement with said latching lever.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

